Bound by the Moon (A Royal Shifters novel Book 5)

by L. P. Dover

  Tia walks out of the bathroom, dressed in a black, long-sleeved T-shirt and black pants with her chocolate-colored hair in a side braid. Having her magic will help, but I feel guilty using her for it. “You look like you’re going to rob a bank,” I say, hoping to lighten the mood. My brain needs a break from all of the dark thoughts.

  She sits down on the bed, and Colin peers back at her, trying his best not to smile, but then his thoughts go right back to planning out the fight. So many scenarios run through his head, but there’s one thing he envisions more than anything else—Ivan’s death. I’ve watched him die a million different ways in Colin’s mind.

  Tia’s eyes rake over my body. “I could say the same for you.”

  I did choose to put on a black T-shirt with dark jeans. “There’s going to be a lot of blood tonight, and I don’t want to scare the women if I’m covered in it.”

  Her brows furrow. “Are you not going to shift?”

  Colin meets my gaze, and I look at him before focusing on her. “No. I plan to face Ivan the way I am. I want to look him in the eyes right before he dies.”

  A car door slams in the parking lot, and Colin turns back to the window. “Zayne’s here. I’ll be right back.” He opens the door, and it slowly shuts behind him. A sense of relief washes over me. I was so afraid Zayne wouldn’t make it in time, but Colin assured me he would. From what I’ve heard, Zayne is vicious in battle, just like all the royal arctic males.

  Tia lowers her voice, her eyes laced with concern. “Are you going to be okay? Seeing Ivan is going to bring back some dark memories.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “I’m over the past. Right now, I can’t rest until he’s gone. If he gets away tonight, I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop hunting him.”

  Tia reaches over and places a hand over mine. “He won’t get away. I promise.”

  I turn to the wall, and I can hear Sawyer on the other side, sleeping soundly. “Is it safe to keep him under the sleeping spell for this long?”

  Tia’s expression saddens. “He’s fine. When I put someone under the sleeping spell, their bodies are preserved at that moment. He won’t dehydrate or starve, even if I keep him in it for weeks at a time.” I didn’t realize it worked like that. “I miss him,” she adds. “I’m ready for this to be over so I can wake him up.”

  There’s been a question in the back of my mind I’ve meant to ask. All of Ivan’s victims had been killed or are considered missing. I would assume the missing ones are dead, and they just haven’t been found. If Ivan hunts them the way he did with Chris and Anthony, I can see why their bodies haven’t been found. It makes me wonder if any of the women realized what he was. The same goes for these four new victims.

  “What if the women realize what Ivan and the other men are? If we save them, what’s going to stop them from talking? Some might think they’ve lost their minds, but the FBI will look deeper.” The last thing I want is the government being curious. I’d hate for someone I know and love to become a science experiment.

  Tia blows out a sigh. “I can make them forget everything. They won’t be able to tell the police how they were abducted, but it’ll keep your kind safe.”

  “Will they forget what Ivan and the others did to them?”

  She nods. “Everything. It might be good to do it even if they didn’t see anything.”

  If that option were offered to me years ago, I probably would’ve taken it. Then again, the bad memories are what helped me become who I am today. Not everyone is as strong-willed as I am, though. I don’t know the women or how they’re handling the situation. The last thing I want is for them to be haunted for the rest of their lives.

  “Let’s do it. I don’t want them to remember.”

  The door opens, and Colin walks in with Zayne right behind him. He looks exactly like his brothers, Micah and Sebastian, with the signature blond hair and crystal blue eyes of an arctic. The only difference is that Zayne has a beard which makes him appear more rugged. He’s also over two hundred years old, but you’d never guess it with his youthful appearance. His eyes, however, are where you can see his age. They’ve seen a lot in this world, and it shows.

  Colin steps out of the way, and Zayne’s eyes lock with mine. “Thank you for coming,” I say.

  He nods. “You’re welcome. I knew many of the Yukons, including Ivan Whitecross. He had a reputation for being brutal. So did a lot of the others.”

  Colin places a hand on his shoulder. “Tonight, we finish them off, once and for all.”

  I grab my bag off the bed and sling it over my shoulder. I don’t know what kind of shape the women will be in, but I want to make sure they have clothes and food. The only thing that gives me comfort is knowing Tia will take away their horror-filled memories.

  “We ready?” I ask, looking at them all.

  Tia nods, and Colin opens the door. Zayne walks out first, and Tia follows him to our rental. Colin blocks the door before I can leave. “I know you’re going in to save the women, but what if we get separated? We don’t know if the men will run or fight. I already told you that keeping you safe is my top priority.”

  I place my hands on his cheeks and pull in his full attention. With everything going on, the stubble on his face has grown out more, and I like it. “No matter what, I’ll be okay. Tia will use her magic if anything happens.”

  He wraps his arms around my waist. “If only we could complete the bond tonight. You’d be a royal and stronger.”

  I kiss him and smile. “I’ll be fine either way. I can handle this.”

  “I know,” he murmurs in my mind. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “Nothing will.”

  I’m ready for this.

  The abandoned house is on the outer edge of the Lost River State Forest. We parked a few miles away, and Tia worked her magic to conceal us even though Colin and Zayne can do it independently. I have the black carmine stone in my pocket to help me if something happens to her magic.

  Once we’re safely away from the road and hidden by the trees, Zayne strips down and shifts into his wolf while Tia waits for us beside him.

  Colin takes off his shirt and tosses it onto the ground with my bag of clothes and food. “Please keep your mind open. I have to be able to know you’re okay.”

  “I promise,” I say in his mind.

  Once the rest of his clothes are off, he shifts into a magnificent, large white wolf. His blue eyes stare back at me, and I smile. “Be careful.”

  He bumps me with his head. “You too. Stay close.”

  Colin and Zayne run off to get into position around the back side of the house. It takes Tia and me a little extra time to get close to the home since she can’t run as fast as us. When we arrive, the sun is completely gone, and the sound of thunder rumbles in the distance. I can smell the rain and feel the electricity in the air as the storm approaches. Behind the clouds, I can feel the full moon even though I can’t see it. It draws me toward Colin, pushing me to go to him, but I can’t.

  Colin’s voice echoes in my head. “I feel it too. You’re mine the next full moon. Even if I have to chase you down.”

  Hearing him in my mind makes me feel as if he’s right beside me. “That might be kind of fun.” I’ve never been one to make it easy on him. A chase through the woods might be just what we need.

  “You’re killing me, Kamille.”

  “Sorry. I blame it on the full moon. Its power is really strong tonight.”

  “Yes, it is. I’ve never felt it like this before.”

  I lean against the massive oak tree and peek around it to the house. Ripped curtains cover the windows, and inside I can see the flicker of candlelight. The thunder booms above us, and the rain begins to fall, bringing the cold air with it. Lightning strikes across the sky, giving the woods an ominous glow. Luckily, the trees give us some coverage from the rain.

  “Do you hear anything?” Tia whispers.

  Closing my ey
es, I concentrate on the sounds and the smells around me. I pick up on Ivan’s voice first, and it crawls over my skin like spiders. I never thought I’d hear it again. My wolf stirs restlessly inside of me, desperate to kill. All four men are in a room together, laughing and drinking and talking about what city they want to head to next. By the end of the night, they’ll be in Hell or whatever purgatory awaits evil shifters like them. It’d be great to storm in and take them out, but the house isn’t big enough for that kind of fight. Trying to get to the women would be much more difficult with the men in there.

  “They’re trying to figure out their next destination,” I whisper.

  “What about the women? Can you hear them?”

  I have to block out the men’s voices, which is problematic because they’re exceedingly loud. However, underneath it all, I can hear the women’s whimpers and soft cries. Fear has a very distinct smell, and the house is potent with it, along with excitement and lust. Wolves like Ivan get a rush when they smell fear; it turns them on and makes them ravenous. Add the full moon into the mix and you have it multiplied times four.

  I look over at Tia. “They’re scared.”

  Two hours pass, and the storm clears out, taking the rain with it. The clouds still cover the sky, but I can see the light of the moon shining through them. Now, all we can do is wait for the right time. I don’t know when it’ll be, but I can feel the magic of the moon grow stronger. Colin’s mind is restless, and I know part of that comes from me. I’m ready to get this over with. My patience is slowly running thin.

  “How long do you want to wait, Kami?” Colin asks through our bond.

  “I’m about to say screw it and let’s just go in.” The longer Ivan’s alive, the more impatient I get. The men have done nothing but drink and talk about the women they’ve fucked, including those in the house. They passed them around like they were nothing—disgusting pieces of shit.

  My fangs grow, and all I can see is red as the rage builds inside of me. I’m so close to shifting, but I can’t. I want Ivan to see who I am. He might’ve escaped death before, but not this time. I’m here, and he’s going to pay the price for his crimes.

  “I’m done waiting,” I say to Colin. “This ends now.”

  Before I can make the first move, the women scream inside the house, and the sounds of their footsteps shuffle against the floor. Tia presses herself against the tree and looks over at me. “I think this is it.”

  “It’s about damn time,” I growl low.

  The door to the house opens, and three of the wolves walk out, each holding onto a woman. One of them, however, has his grip on two. Ivan is nowhere to be seen. The women are dirty and haggard with bloodstains on their ripped clothes, their eyes wild and terrified. Seeing them makes my decision for Tia to erase their memories a lot easier. They’ll never recover from this if she doesn’t.

  One of the wolves has a knife in his hands, and he uses it to cut the restraints binding the women’s hands together. “All right, you’re free,” he says to them, his voice dark and full of malic. The women cry and stare at each other, not knowing what to do. He kicks one of them and laughs when she falls to the ground. “It’s no fun if you don’t run!”

  All three women help the one on the ground to get up, and they start running, their cries echoing through the trees. The wolves double over laughing, which makes me sick.

  “Run!” another one shouts. “We’re going to catch you!”

  The women move like molasses through the trees. They wouldn’t have a chance in hell of escaping if we weren’t there. What I don’t like is not having a visual on Ivan. I can feel his presence inside the house, but I want to see him. When the men start to rip off their clothes, I know it’s time.

  “I’m going after the women,” I say in Colin’s mind, my body ready to fight.

  “Go. Zayne and I are ready. The fuckers won’t get anywhere near them.”

  I glance over at Tia. “Let’s go.”

  Her magic can mask our presence, but I know that our cover will be blown as soon as we reach the women. The men’s laughter sinks further into the distance as Tia and I run away from the house. Luckily, the women stick together instead of separating to fend for themselves in the dark forest. I can see them up ahead, tripping and falling over tree roots, the smell of blood growing stronger. A howl echoes through the trees, signaling the hunt has begun.

  Colin’s voice comes through my mind. “It’s about to get ugly.”

  “Good. Make them suffer.” I’m almost to the women.

  “Happy to.”

  I reach into my back pocket and pull out my flashlight to shine it on the women. “Stop!” They all grab onto each other and turn in my direction, lifting their hands to shield their eyes. I run over to them, and they quiver in fear, their faces pale. They all look different as far as hair color and build. However, they have one thing in common; they’re covered in bruises with the wolves’ scents all over their bodies. My insides tremble with the need to kill. I pass the flashlight to Tia and slowly approach the women. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. Tia and I are going to get you to safety. My name’s Kami, and I’m with the FBI.”

  The one with strawberry-blond hair falls to her knees and cries. “Oh, my God. Thank you.”

  Growls rumble all around us, and the thunderous sound of fighting makes the ground shake. The women scream and rush toward me. “We’re going to get eaten by bears,” one of them sobs, gripping onto my arm.

  Taking her by the shoulders, I stare right into her terrified hazel-colored eyes. “No, you’re not. This will all be over soon. Right now, you have to find the strength to run.” I look at them all. “Come on.”

  Tia takes the lead, shining the flashlight through the trees so the women can see while I bring up the rear. The fighting grows more intense with the sound of ripping flesh and blood gurgling yelps. The women begin to panic and lose energy, but we still have a long way to go.

  “Keep going!” I shout. One of them falls, and I grab her arm, hauling her back up to her feet. Her legs give out again as if they’re made of noodles. Tia and the other stop, so I bend down and squeeze the frightened woman’s shoulders, hoping she can see the urgency in my eyes. “Listen to me. What’s your name?”

  Her lips tremble. “M … Mandy.”

  “Mandy, you have to get up. When we get to the car, there will be fresh clothes and food for you. I need you to move.” Tears fall down her cheeks, leaving lines on her dirt-streaked face. More growls echo through the trees, and the fighting grows closer. In Colin’s mind, all I see is blood and snapping jaws. He’s okay.

  “They think we want the women,” Colin growls in my mind. “They’re trying to get to them first. Get them out of there! We’re too close.”

  “Fuck,” I hiss, pulling the woman to her feet. Her eyes widen, and she shrieks from the force of my grip. “We have to run now! They’re coming after us.”

  Tia grabs two of the women and pulls them with her while I take the others. They pick up the pace, and we start to gain distance. But then, that’s when I sense someone behind us, gaining closer and closer with each passing second. Ivan. His dark energy reeks with lust and danger. With Tia’s magic and the black carmine stone shielding me, he has no clue what waits for him. I think it’s time he finds out.

  I stop running and push the women forward toward the others. “Go. I have to stay.”

  The full moon breaks free from the clouds and shines its light on us. Tia’s eyes widen, and she waves for me to hurry. “Come on. What are you doing?”

  We have about thirty seconds before Ivan closes in. Reaching into my pocket, I grab my stone and toss it to her. “Ivan’s about to be here. Drop your shield on me and go. Get the women safely away from here.”

  “Kami, no!” Colin shouts in my mind.

  Tia shakes her head. “No. He’s stronger than you, Kami, and you know it. Without Colin here, you need my magic.”

  I’m not a fool. Ivan is stronger than me, but
I’m smarter. “Get them to the car and hurry back. I’ll be fine. Now drop the shield.”

  “I’m almost there,” Colin growls.

  “Dammit,” Tia snaps, pulling the girls away from me. “I’ll be right back.” She disappears through the trees until I can’t see her anymore. A few seconds later, the feel of her magic dwindles around me. The moment it does, Ivan’s lust increases tenfold, and his footsteps slow as if it catches him off guard.

  The wind brings the smell of blood and death, and I can hear Colin and the other wolves in the distance. Ivan is a lot closer. When I scan the forest, that’s when I see his glowing blue eyes. He stalks closer, his body cloaked in darkness until he steps into the moonlight. I stare right into his eyes, letting him know I won’t back down.

  “I thought tonight was going to be just a hunting game, but it’s turned into something much better than that,” he says, raking his gaze over my body. He takes a step toward me and another. “So, we meet again.”

  My body trembles with rage. “You remember me?”

  Ivan chuckles. “How could I forget?” He bites his bottom lip and lets out a moan. “Kami Grayson. You have the sweetest blood I’ve ever tasted. Biting you was euphoric.”

  “Fuck you,” I hiss.

  His wolfish grin widens. “Oh, you’re more than welcome to fuck me. You took away my playthings for the night. I could use a little bit of fun.” He steps to the side, and I counter him, making sure to keep my eyes on him the entire time.

  “So that’s what you do, huh? You kidnap helpless women and hunt them?” I glare at him with disgust. “You’re pathetic.”

  Ivan smirks. “Before the Tetons and your brother’s pack came for the Yukons, I was going to take you with me when I left. I knew we wouldn’t win the fight. I regret not finishing what I started.”